Article by
Barbados Today

Published on
November 15, 2016

BASSETERRE, St Kitts – Almost but not quite.

Barbados Pride pushed for an improbable win but came up short as all-rounder Rahkeem Cornwall stonewalled their efforts to ensure Leeward Islands Hurricanes got the better of the exchanges in their drawn opening round Regional Four-Day contest Monday.

Rahkeem Cornwall took nine wickets in the match to complement two half-centuries.

Set 305 for victory off a minimum of 76 overs, Pride tested the Hurricanes’ mettle through half-centuries from Anthony Alleyne who made 84, Shamarh Brooks who stroked 59 and Test batsman Roston Chase, who was unbeaten on 51, before ending the final day at Warner Park on 235 for five, 70 runs shy of their target.

Cornwall captured four for 101 to follow up his first innings five-wicket haul, as he finished with match figures of nine for 218.

The 23-year-old West Indies A player had earlier lashed his second half-century of the game with a top score of 60, allowing Hurricanes to declare their second innings on 164 for six just inside the first hour.

Montcin Hodge made 53 while Test left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican picked up three for 31.

Hurricanes walked away with 8.8 points for their efforts while Pride picked up six.

Starting the day on 89 for five, Hurricanes flourished through an 82-run sixth wicket stand between Cornwall and Hodge.

The hard-hitting Cornwall, who made 84 in the first innings, smashed three fours and four sixes off a mere 51 balls while Hodge opted for the anchor role, facing 184 deliveries and counted two fours.

Faced with a difficult hour before lunch, Pride lost Omar Phillips lbw to Cornwall off just the fourth ball of the innings as they reached the interval on 39 for one.

Afterwards, Alleyne spearheaded two partnerships which put Hurricanes under pressure, and gave Pride an outside chance of overhauling their target.

The 23-year-old left-hander, who faced 199 deliveries in 3-¾ hours at the crease and struck 14 fours, put on 110 for the second wicket with Brooks before adding a further 61 for the third wicket with Chase.

Cornwall broke the stand when he had Brooks caught at short-leg, after the right-hander faced 126 balls and counted five fours, but Alleyne found an ally in Chase to keep Pride’s bid alive.

With triple figures beckoning, Alleyne was lbw to one from Cornwall which kept low, and his dismissal triggered a slide which saw three wickets tumble for 24 runs as captain Kevin Stoute (6) and Kenroy Williams (4) both fell cheaply.

With Pride’s challenge having fizzled, Chase took the time to notch his 13th first class half-century in a 34-run sixth wicket stand with Justin Greaves who made 21 not out, before both teams shook hands.